Cover image courtesy of Sportpix
Race-day recap:
She had to fight for it, but the favourite Lady Shenandoah (Snitzel) came out on top again in the G1 Surround Stakes at Royal Randwick, dashing the hopes of sparring partner Lady Of Camelot (Written Tycoon) in the last strides of the race.
She's back! It was the same horses from the G2 Apollo Stakes in the trifecta for the G1 Verry Elleegant Stakes, but in a different order, with wonder mare Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock) motoring away for victory over Fangirl (Sebring).
It felt like a long time coming, but Dominic Sutton finally celebrated his first Group 1 victory with Feroce (NZ) (Super Seth) in a dazzling win in the G1 Australian Guineas.
Star WA mare Amelia's Jewel (Siyouni {Fr}) ended her drought on Saturday with a frontrunning win in the G2 Guy Walter Stakes, capturing her 10th career win and first for trainers Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald.
March Arch (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) booked a spot in the G1 All-Star Mile with a slashing win the G2 Blamey Stakes at Flemington, which was also her first win at stakes level.
El Morzillo (Star Witness) made the long journey from Eagle Farm to Flemington all worth it for Kelly Schweida when taking out the $1 million Inglis Sprint on Saturday.
It was an emotional victory in the Listed Dunedin Guineas at Wingatui for the Muniandy brothers, who trained and rode 3-year-old filly Loose Sally (NZ) (Turn Me Loose {NZ}) to her first black type win.
Lady Shenandoah snatches the Surround from Lady Of Camelot
The money came hard and fast for Lady Shenandoah (Snitzel) before the gates opened in the G1 Surround Stakes at Royal Randwick on Saturday, but she had to fight a little bit harder to snatch the win from the clutches of Lady Of Camelot (Written Tycoon) this time. Chris Waller’s boom 3-year-old filly sailed to what looked like an easy victory first up in the G2 Light Fingers Stakes, with her Tulloch Lodge-trained rival struggling to keep up even with blinkers on, but the 1400 metres proved more demanding.
Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald’s Lilac (Justify {USA}) led the pack into the home straight before fading slightly into fourth, and was left flatfooted when the two top seeds took off past her. For a few strides, it looked like Lady Of Camelot might break her bridesmaid streak - her last win being the G1 Golden Slipper Stakes a year ago - but the other filly made one last surge under James McDonald to capture the win by 0.29l.
Fellow Waller trainee Lazzura (Snitzel) loomed as if to join the two in the finish but was also left behind, settling for third, 2.65l behind Lady of Camelot.
“I could see that she accelerated but wasn’t quite clear, and then I realised it was Lady Of Camelot,” said Waller when trackside. “She’s a Golden Slipper winner – so I knew that the Waterhouse-Bott horse was going to be hard to go past. She was – and (Lady Shenandoah) lifted.
“It was good to see Lady Shenandoah fight and be dominant. It just shows you how hard it is to win races - any race, let alone a Group 1 race. It was a good fight over the last 100 metres. I don’t know how the punters were feeling.
Lady Shenandoah winning the G1 Surround Stakes | Image courtesy of Sportpix
“We look after her, as we do with all our horses to try and get the best out of them, and we encourage them to develop over time as we’ve done with her. We asked her a question in the spring with three races in a row and she won all of them. We knew then it was time to give up and give her a bit of time. We’re being repaid for that. How far we go, I don’t know, because it is about looking after them.”
"We asked her a question in the spring with three races in a row and she won all of them. We knew then it was time to give up and give her a bit of time. We’re being repaid for that." - Chris Waller
The question was put to Waller on where to go next, and he didn’t entirely rule out a possible tilt at a G1 Doncaster Mile, “it wouldn’t be normal for our stable to put them in a Doncaster at this early age. I’d say it is unlikely, but I’ll talk to the owners. It is easier said than done.”
McDonald was rapt with the filly, who handed him his 110th career Group 1 - although he did joke that Lady Of Camelot’s performance gave him a few flashbacks to the Saudi Cup: “I thought it was going to be Forever Young coming back!”
Connections of Lady Shenandoah after winning the G1 Surround Stakes | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Now a dual Group 1 winner, Lady Shenandoah is a three-quarter-sister to G1 HKJC Centenary Sprint Cup-winning stallion Stronger and half-sister to Listed performer Tiger Silk (All American). Breeders Arrowfield Stud will offer a half-brother by Maurice (Jpn) at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale this year as Lot 187.
Via Sistina turns tables on Fangirl in the Verry Elleegant
It was the same three horses from the G2 Apollo Stakes trifecta that were first across the line in the G1 Verry Elleegant Stakes at Randwick on Saturday, but it was Yulong’s star mare who was on top this time, switching up the order. The 7-year-old mare patiently waited until well into the straight to charge, with Fangirl (Sebring) hot on her heels - but it was too great of an effort to get past Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock) over her beloved mile distance, and Fangirl had to settle for second this time by 0.36l.
Not to be forgotten, fellow Waller trainee Lindermann (Lonhro) - who had been chasing down early leader Golden Path (NZ) (Belardo {Ire}) - fought hard at the end to catch the two mares, finishing 0.03l behind Fangirl to seal the Waller trifecta. First up Fawkner Park (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) gave chase when the mares kicked to finish in fourth position.
“I knew it was going to be a battle of tactics, and James (McDonald, on Via Sistina) was concerned about the draw (barrier eight) in terms of where we would get to,” Waller said. “The track is racing pretty quick today and it is hard to make up a lot of ground, so the last 200 metres, I was proud, simple as that.
“Unfortunately there had to be a winner.”
“The track is racing pretty quick today and it is hard to make up a lot of ground, so the last 200 metres, I was proud, simple as that. Unfortunately there had to be a winner.” - Chris Waller
The race capped off a four-timer for McDonald across the Randwick card, including both Group 1s back to back and the G2 Guy Walter Stakes, to bring him to 111 career Group 1 wins. He sent an ominous warning to Via Sistina’s rivals for the rest of the autumn.
“There's no guarantees in racing, but she's going to be awfully hard to beat, especially now that that second-up run is out of the way,” McDonald said.
Waller recognised the enormity of the mare’s rise in Australian racing, saying, “it's been a great story. A year ago she wasn't even in our lives, just a horse in quarantine and we were just starting getting to know her. What's happened in the past 12 months, it's quite remarkable.”
Gallery: Images courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
After this seventh Group 1 win for Via Sistina, the plan is for her and Fangirl’s autumn paths to now diverge, with the former aimed at the G1 Ranvet Stakes, before peaking in the G1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes in April.
“She can sustain herself at 2000 metres - and Fangirl might just breathe a sigh of relief.”
Ferocious Guineas performance hands Dominic Sutton his first Group 1
Young trainer Dominic Sutton received a huge boost to his resume on Saturday thanks to the performance of his Super Seth gelding Feroce (NZ), who was a 0.75l winner over Kiwi raider Savaglee (NZ) (Savabeel) in the G1 Australian Guineas.
Second in the spring by a narrow margin in the G1 Caulfield Guineas, the 3-year-old was not to be denied this time out and wore down his fellow Kiwibred, before pressing forward to capture the win. South Australian raider Goldrush Guru (American Pharaoh {USA}) was a further 1l behind in third.
“To be honest, I’ve just been having a really tough run of running seconds recently, so I was hoping to just get a winner anywhere,” Sutton said. “So to do it on the biggest stage of all with this horse - he’s been the flag bearer for our stable since day one. It took a long time to get over the Caulfield Guineas, I’m not going to lie.
“The horse has just been super. He’s just improved, improved, improved. He was probably the third ever horse we’ve bought out of the sales, and I’ve got to thank Johnny McKeever for that.”
Gallery: Images courtesy of The Image Is Everything
McKeever Bloodstock and Sutton Racing purchased Feroce for NZ$160,000 at the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale in 2023, and connections have now seen a return of over $1.3 million in prize money. He is the second stakes winner from O’Reilly (NZ) mare Corinthia (NZ), after Listed Karaka Classic winner Siracusa (NZ) (Sebring), and he is also the first Group 1 winner for Waikato Stud’s Super Seth.
Onwards and upwards as Amelia’s Jewel shines in Randwick return to form
Peter Walsh’s star mare Amelia’s Jewel (Siyouni {Fr}) made her much anticipated return to form on Saturday in the G2 Guy Walter Stakes. The 5-year-old mare repaid co-trainer Annabel Neasham’s faith in her with a strong front-running performance from the jump, leading all the way - and still having enough gas in the tank to close off impressively under the urgings of James McDonald, scoring her 10th career - and black type - win by 1.36l.
Brad Widdup’s Ausbred Flirt (Maurice {Jpn}) fought bravely to finish second, with Peter Snowden-trained Tashi (Sebring) in third. Star Waller filly Olentia (Zoustar) kicked hard in the last furlong to come from a long way back to land fourth spot.
“It was a really impressive return to the races,” co-trainer Rob Archibald told Racenet. “She put the writing on the wall in her trials, and in her work, she felt really forward.
“A great ride by James, he gave her every opportunity. He controlled the race and rode her like the best horse in the race.”
“It was a really impressive return to the races, She put the writing on the wall in her trials, and in her work, she felt really forward.” - Rob Archibald
“She had a couple of great runs and a couple of good seconds, but it was frustrating not to win a race with her," Neasham added. The training duo took over the reins from Simon Miller at the beginning of the racing season, and the mare had been winless - despite top tier performances - since September 2023.
“I was starting to get a little bit worried, because she was a West Australian star, but that was a dominant win today and she's got plenty of improvement to come. Onwards and upwards.”
Neasham and Archibald will consider a tilt at the G1 Coolmore Classic in two weeks time, and the G1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes further down the track.
Amelia's Jewel winning the G2 Guy Walter Stakes | Image courtesy of Sportpix
Amelia’s Jewel is a half-sister to Bosustow (Blue Point {Ire}), who won the R. Listed Magic Millions 3YO Guineas earlier this year, before a last start second in the G1 BCD Sprint at Te Rapa. Dam Bumbasina (Ire) (Canford Cliffs {Ire}) has a full sister to Amelia’s Jewel on the ground, and was subsequently covered by Zoustar.
Black type break-through for Marble Arch in the Blamey
It was a ninth career win for tough 5-year-old Marble Arch (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) in the G2 Blamey Stakes, but more importantly it was the mare’s first black type win after racking up placings in the G3 JRA Plate and Listed Lord Stakes in recent starts. The Lindsay Park trainee defeated G1 Toorak Handicap-winning entire Attrition (Churchill {Ire}) and G1 VRC Oaks victress Zardozi (Kingman {GB}) by a solid 2l in the 1600-metre contest to reward connections with a super bump to her pedigree page.
The victory also grants her a spot in the G1 All-Star Mile, something that co-trainer JD Hayes said the team would have to sit down and consider properly once they saw how she pulled up.
“That sounds like a Monday problem,” he said post-race. “We’ll sit around and discuss it, and see how she pulls up. But it’ll certainly be on the cards.”
“If she pulls up well, it won’t be a hard decision,” added co-trainer Ben Hayes. “She’s a mare in form. She won that quite well and she was impressive, so we’ll definitely be considering it.”
Gallery: Images courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Marble Arch was a NZ$3100 weanling purchase via a Gavelhouse NZ online auction for Peter Wood, and is the second foal from four-time winner Jonquil (NZ) (Sakhee’s Secret {GB}), who is closely related to Champion NZ 3YO Daffodil (NZ) (No Excuse Needed {GB}) and triple Group 1 winner Atishu (NZ) (Savabeel). She is the 33rd individual stakes winner for Little Avondale Stud's Per Incanto (USA).
El Morzillo makes it worth the trip with Inglis Sprint victory
It’s a long way to travel from Kelly Schweida’s Eagle Farm base down to Flemington, but improving 3-year-old El Morzillo (Star Witness) made it worth the trip when dashing home to win the $1 million Inglis Sprint on Saturday. The filly was last seen finishing fifth behind Private Harry (Harry Angel {Ire}) a little closer to home in the $3 million Magic Millions Sunlight in January, and this time it was her turn to zip away from Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young’s Daggers (I Am Invincible) to grab victory by 0.75l.
“(It’s a) million-dollar race, so I don’t mind it (not being black type), but I’m really, really pleased for the owners,” Schweida said. He was full of praise for jockey Craig Williams. “(I’ve) been a long time friend of Craig’s, and we sort of had this race as a target for a long time now. We thought the 1200-metre straight would suit her, because she’s a back marker and always seems to run into a bit of trouble.
“Really pleased. I’d like to thank all my staff, my strapper Donna, everyone’s done a great job. And Inglis - a mate of mine helped pick this filly out, so they’ve really looked after us, Inglis, it’s really well done."
The Queensland winter carnival is firmly in the filly’s sights next.
“You would think something like a Tatts Tiara (would be next). We’ll look after her, we really targeted this race, so a lot of the other races have been (playing) a little bit of catch-up.
El Morzillo winning the Inglis Sprint | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Purchased by her trainer for $50,000 from Widden Stud at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, the stakes-performed El Morzillo is a granddaughter of G2 Flying Childers Stakes winner Madam Trop Vite (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}). Widden Stud Victoria will offer a half-sister by G2 Schillaci Stakes winner Dirty Work at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale this week, as Lot 50.
Dunedin redemption for Loose Sally and Muniandy brothers
Locally-trained 3-year-old Loose Sally (NZ) (Turn Me Loose {NZ}) was seeking redemption after refusing to load in the barriers for the Listed Southland Guineas a fortnight ago, and she pulled it off in the Listed Dunedin Guineas at Wingatui on Saturday.
Trained by Shankar Muniandy and ridden by his brother Ruvanesh Muniandy, the filly found herself shuffled back as the pack approached the home turn and had to come out wide to give herself galloping room. She unleashed a powerful turn of foot down the straight to score by 2.3l over Airpark Hustler (NZ) (War Decree {USA}), picking up her first black type win at her fourth start.
“It is a massive thrill to go back-to- back (in this race) and win again as she is not a very easy horse to prepare,” Shankar told Loveracing.nz. The trainer took out the 2024 edition of the race with Collect Your Cash (NZ) (Rageese). “She missed a run last time and I was a little concerned about lining her up, but she is fit and they are only 3-year-olds once. She does have good ability and she proved that today.
“The speed was on early and the boy (Ruvanesh) did a great job as he knows the horse well, having done a lot of work on her. He knew what to do - which was to get back, not pull out too early, and get some cover, which was good as she is a big filly and needs some room.
“When he pushed the button she just grew another leg.”
“The speed was on early and the boy (Ruvanesh) did a great job as he knows the horse well, having done a lot of work on her. When he pushed the button she just grew another leg.” - Shankar Muniandy
It was brother Ruvanesh’s first black type win, and he was quite emotional after the race, “I’m just so happy I could ride my first Listed winner and to do it for my brother.”
Raced by Ray Chalklin, Loose Sally is the third foal to race from juvenile winner Sally’s Mustang (Nicconi), a full sister to multiple metropolitan winner Fastconi and a half-sister to six-time winner Rich And Shameless (Shamus Award).
